French Government: An Oligarchy Rather Than a Polyarchy

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The modern French government is a unique political entity like no other in history. In my research paper I aim to show that while France's system of government appears democratic it is in actuality not. I plan to demonstrate it is more of an oligarchy than a polyarchy, polyarchy being fundamentally necessary for democracy. Drawing on research from conflict theorists I plan to show that France is not truly democratic. I plan to first draw a parallel between research on France as a pluralist state and Robert Dahl's New Haven study by showing that France like New Haven appears to be a pluralist democracy. I then plan to show just as G. William Domhoff did with Dahl's original study, that the same inequality in power exists in France as in New Haven. This power inequality leaves a certain elite with a greater control over the states political system.

To me true democracy must include all adult citizenry. According to Robert Dahl in a democracy “all members are to be treated as if they were qualified to participate in the process of making decisions about policies”. He goes on to further sate no group should in a democracy have control of an agenda. When you have a group of people who as a result of their class and status in society can participate more fully and influence what issues are addressed by policy makers as well as control the policy making themselves you do not have a democracy.

Frank L. Wilson in his article French Interest Group Politics: Pluralist or Neocorporatist? makes the case that interest groups that are most affective in changing policy are the ones which employ informal and formal contact between their groups and leaders and subleaders within the political stratum of France. The French people are reluctant t...

... middle of paper ...

...n study, it seems the interest of an elite class is underlying a democratic facade in France.

Bibliography

Bell, David S. 2002. French politics today. Oxford Rd Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Bourdieu, Pierre, and Richard Nice. 1984. Distinction. Cambridge Ma: Harvard University Press.

Dahl, Robert A. [1998] 2000. On Democracy. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.

Dahl, Robert A. [1961] 2005. Who Governs?: Democracy and Power in an American City. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.

Domhoff, G. William. 2005. “Who Really Ruled in Dahl’s New Haven?”

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/local/new_haven.html?print.

Elgie, Robert, and Steven Griggs. 2000. French politics. New York NY: Routledge.

Putnam, Robert. 1995. “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital,” Journal of Democracy 6: 65-78.

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